Taking off from Tim's remark earlier today that what's desired is a
way to spin some more profitable products off from OGD1...
The big FPGA with high-speed memory is what's central to the OGD1
architecture. The high-speed DACs are subsidiary to that.
If we want to do something else with the same technology, and not
require a large body of specialized technical knowledge, we could consider
converting it to a high-performance motion controller with only modest
redesign.
What a motion controller does, basically, is numerically execute
differential equations in real time. The classic implementations are pure
analog hardware or digital signal processors.
What an FPGA implementation could do is parallelize the DSP, and
provide dedicated hardware pipelines to each channel. It would allow the
logic to be customized to the algorithm. That would go _much_ faster than a
classic DSP time-shared among multiple channels, and allow higher bandwidth,
or more complex control algorithms, or both.
OGD1 itself doesn't provide the A/D inputs, not to mention the
signal-conditioning electronics that a closed-loop controller depends on.
So the OGD1 product itself wouldn't be suitable. But the same core
electronics could be re-spun into a different board with a different part
number family, which would provide either the required analog I/O on board,
or hooks to connect to external analog electronics. DACs and A/D designed
for software radio would be good candidates for precision high-speed analog
I/O, particularly if low-speed auto-calibration hardware is pasted on to
supply the absolute precision that communication A/Ds usually lack.
Since modularity and expandability is very important in industrial
controls, and there isn't that much communication required between the
controlling computer and the motion controller, it might possibly be
packaged in shielded boxes on DIN rail bases so as to fit inside the control
cabinet, and commanded through USB-2.
There are several product lines of analog signal conditioner modules
commercially available. It should be designed for compatibility with those.
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